10 Simple Lifestyle Changes for Greater Happiness

This is a guest post by Slavko Desik. He is writer and editor at Lifestyle Updated. Many people tend to make things more complex than they have to be. Even when the answer is right in front of us we may overlook what is already there in search of a more complex approach. The same thing happens when we go looking for self-improvement, or ways to be happier and live a more fulfilled life. Trained to look over the simple explanations, we oversee them by a long shot. Happiness doesn’t have to be complex and difficult. Realizing and learning about what we’re overlooking, and what can be implemented right now, will indeed make us happier in no time.

10 things you can do right now in order to be happier

1. Exercise

I’m sure you’ve experienced that great feeling of being energized and uplifted after doing some sort of physical exercise. This is because the brain releases the feel good chemical endorphin and helps us to relieve stress. Choose your favorite physical activity and start right away. It doesn’t need to be something hard and demanding. Even a couple of sets of pushups will do the job in the beginning. Feel the endorphin flow in your body and see your mood changed almost instantly

2. Laugh

When was the last time you can remember holding your stomach and not being able to stop laughing? Has it been awhile? It is said that laughter is the best medicine, so choose to spend time with people that make you laugh. Find activities that will provoke the same effect, such as reading funny stories, or watching funny movies, and feel the flow of happiness.

3. Have a good night’s sleep

Getting adequate sleep will indeed rejuvenate you. You will be more balanced, more rested, have dramatically decreased stressed levels, and experience a more stable mood throughout the entire day. Start going to bed earlier, and start waking up early to get you sleep on the right track.

4. Feel the light of day

How do you feel when you’re trapped indoors with no windows for long periods of time? Do you feel more stressed and anxious? I bet many of the best moments you can think of include being outdoors enjoying the weather. Not only is being outdoors enjoyable but it can boost our Vitamin D which is an important part of a healthy body and mind. Leverage this to your advantage and start going out more often, even if it’s as long as just couple of minutes at a time.

5. Get in tune with your senses

Of course you use your five senses, but I was thinking more about staying focused in the moment. Try noticing the smell of food before you eat it; try tasting it more fully while in your mouth. Try feeling the grass on your feet and hearing the sound of insects and birds while you go for a hike. It will surprise you how much you were taking for granted and passing by while not being mindful.

6. Move more, think less

This may sound quite similar to exercising but it is different. The way many people live nowadays is more about the mind than body, so we find ourselves more prone to sitting still and just using our mind. We are occupied by television, internet, and cell-phones and end up living a sedentary lifestyle. That’s why it’s good to go out for a walk, make breaks while you are working to stretch and change your body position. Our ancestors were moving all the time, so reclining in front of the TV or computer isn’t what our body was created for. Even if you’re tired, make a habit to walk around from time to time, and use your body more often.

7. Go out with friends

We are social creatures, and as such staying alone makes no sense. Our ancestors were also always in a community, tribe, or clan. Embracing individualism more and more by the day, we find ourselves facing more solitude, and more alone time. And while this may be great in some occasions, it can get in the way of our well-being. Call your friends and go out for coffee, ride your bikes, or take a walk together. Have a conversation that challenges you to interact and learn. Connect more on daily basis with the people you are fond off. It will indeed change the quality of your life.

8. Experiment with smell

Smell is the sense most tied to memory. Explore how your sense of smell relates to your memories. What scents do you find relaxing, and which of them elevate your mood. Find perfumes, baked goods, or environments that take you to a happy place and allow you experience uplifting emotions.

9. Get a massage

Many of you out there have a roller-coaster schedule – constantly on the go and no time to relax. Detaching from all the clutter for a moment and drifting away from worries is the best thing to do sometimes. A massage does just that, plus it releases the tension you were feeling as a result of your hectic lifestyle. The body and mind will be more rested and relaxed, and you will be more rejuvenated.

10. Enjoy the moment

Breathe and try rendering yourself from everything that clutters your mind. Focus on the moment, on your breathing. Take a moment and rest your mind in solitude. We are constantly doing things, going somewhere, running different scenarios in our mind, so try and stop for a moment. You will refresh your mind, and have more clarity to enjoy the simple things in life. As society has progressed we have become more materialistic. We seem to forget the notion that “money cannot buy happiness”, and go on forcing ourselves to accumulate more and believing that we will be happy after having this or that. It’s good to have the nice new car, great looking body, more accomplished kids; but everything in the world will not do enough if you don’t know how to enjoy the moment and appreciate the little things. This is a guest post by Slavko Desik. He is writer and editor at Lifestyle Updated, a site about improving one’s lifestyle and enjoying life full time. He also writes about subjects closely connected with self-improvement and personal growth.

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